Recently, there is a tendency in the automotive industry for a remarkable increase of HEVs (Hybrid Electric Vehicles) and EVs (Electric Vehicles) (which are hereinafter abbreviated collectively as “HEVs/EVs”), for an approach to be eco-friendly and fuel-efficient.
Under such a situation, wire harnesses for providing electrical connection between an inverter (INV) serving as a power converter and a motor generator (MG) serving as both a motor and a generator are shielded against noise in HEVs/EVs. For such shielding, a braided wire may be used as a shielding layer.
As a technique for manufacturing a braided wire serving as a shielding layer of an electric wire, the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 can be mentioned, for example. In Patent Document 1, a shielding member unwound from a bobbin is drawn by a capstan that winds up a wire member so as to be fed to a synthetic resin extrusion molding machine, as a braided wire that is braided into a tubular shape around a shielded electric wire.
Further, examples of other braided wires include a braided wire classified as “number of strikes 44, number of takings 4, element wire diameter 0.26 mm”. That is, there is a braided wire (which may hereinafter be abbreviated simply as “the aforementioned type of braided wire”) obtained by braiding a wire member that is composed of four TAs (tin coated annealed copper wires), has a diameter of 0.26 mm, and is unwound from each of 44 bobbins. The aforementioned type of braided wire is manufactured as a bulk shielding braided wire in the form of a single part, independently of a shielded electric wire. That is, a braided wire braided into a hollow tubular shape is manufactured, and the electric wire is inserted into the hollow braided wire, as a result of which the bulk shielding braided wire can shield the electric wire.
The aforementioned type of braided wire can be manufactured by, using a take-up capstan, winding up a braided wire obtained by collecting 44 strands (four ends per carrier, TA, 0.26) that are fed from a carrier section and passing them through a hole die.